One Shot two endings
by Bond.Jane
Summary: One situation, one outcome. Or maybe not. I'm feeling generous, so you can choose your ending! Happy reading!
1. One shot Two endings

Note to the readers: I started this story in a moment of… nostalgia, you might say. It turned out sad. I had no intention of posting it, as it lacked balance between humour and seriousness. But as I was proof reading it, it occurred to me that there are moments in life when we just wish that a fairly insignificant event that causes pain and despair could be magically obliterated or, failing that, turned into something else of good. I call those my Scarlet O'Hara moments. So, from the same beginning, two stories came up.

The idea is this: If you like tearjerkers, by all means, stick with ending A. I stress, you do this at your own peril. If, on the other hand, you prefer happy ending because life already throws enough crap at you, then skip to ending B.

Either way, don't be shy: please let me know what you think and which one you chose.

Jane

Part 1

Temperance Brennan took the set of keys out the ignition of her brand new car- a present from her publisher for the success of her 5th novel. She opened the door of the vehicle and stepped out. Her usual quick step was instead a wavering undecided walk. She moved towards the door of her apartment building, walked into the lobby. Her eyes took in the surroundings. It was a nice place, welcoming. She took the elevator up to her 2nd floor. She wouldn't usually have done that. Her impatient nature compelled her to jog the two flights of steps- rather than wait. But her body had no strength left.

The doors of the elevator cart opened silently and it took her a fraction of a second to realise this and move forward.

She reached for the keys once more, selected the one needed to open the door to her apartment and walked in. She put her purse down on the floor and moved directly to the couch where she sat. She removed an envelope from her pocket and read it once more. It still said the same as before when she had opened in her doctor's office. Tears ran freely. She should tell someone. It was time. She was tired- more than tired, actually- she was exhausted of fighting on her own. All her life she had done nothing else but survive on her own. It was time to lean on somebody else for a change. The doctor had told her it was for the best. She agreed.

She called Booth. Who else? There was a family in her life now. But the only one that could offer comfort now was him.

It took him 10 minutes to get to her apartment. He could hear the emergency in her voice, the panic. He had switched on the siren and the lights. She always liked to sit with him during those rides. She would have loved to have driven the SUV with the siren and the lights.

He jumped out of the car and jogged up the steps and knocked on her door. As the door opened and he took in her sunken red eyes, he felt the air sucked out of him and his heart squeezed unbearably tight. She had a piece of paper in her hands and when he walked in she just stood there. As always, he did what came naturally when she was involved- he hugged her tight. Maybe too tight as she slumped against him. He was shocked. Alarm bells went off in his brain. With a gentle movement, he lifted her in his arms and carried her to the sofa. He sat with her in his arms, holding her as he would have held a small frightened child. He so badly wanted to ask what was going on but he had a gut feeling that the moment he knew, his whole life would change.

Temperance cried until her tears dried and she felt empty of all emotion. When he felt the sobbing subside, he held her face in both is hands trying to read her eyes. She closed them. She desperately wanted to postpone the news. She felt like the moment she put it all into words, it would all become real.

So, instead, she asked him for a cup of tea. He did not want to let go of her, but sensed that she needed that time. He came back to the couch with a cup of tea and handed it to her. Her hand shook spilling some of the tea. He held her hand steady.

"Temperance, please!"

Page 2 of 2


	2. The tearjerker

Part 2 – The tearjerker (Skip this part if you want the happy ending. Proceed at your own peril.)

She thought she must have been a mess. He only called her Temperance when she was at her most vulnerable. She handed him the piece of paper. He ran his eyes through it. He could not comprehend what he was reading. He tried again. And again. It always meant the same- that he was loosing that wonderful creature sitting in front of him.

Without looking at her, he got up from the couch and headed into the kitchen. He couldn't breath and panic was starting to set in. It was impossible. It was not happening. How could it be that someone so young, healthy, so alive could be dying? A mistake, it had to be a mistake. He went back to the couch.

"Don't worry, Bones, it's a mistake. Hospitals do this all the time. They swap exams, they mess up. We are going to find another doctor, another hospital and we…"  
She cut him short: "It's not a mistake, Booth"

"How can you say that? You're fine. Sure you look a bit pale, a bit thin. But you've just received the news. Snap out of it, Bones. This is not real!"

"Booth…" She sounded so tired "I've had 2 courses of radio and chemo therapy in the last three months. I was experimented on, poked and probed by an army of people. It did not work… it was pretty advanced, anyway. It spread to the skeletal system… there is nothing more to do" Booth was amazed at how aloof she sounded. Then realization struck.

"So you've known of this for what?... 3 months minimum? And you didn't tell me? Angela? Your dad?" He was livid with fury. "Do I mean so little to you?" Silence. "Well, then" and he made it to the door, "I guess I better be going. You are clearly self sufficient and do not need me!" He opened the door. And then he heard no more than a whisper:

"I care too much to tell you…" He walked back and kneeled on the floor in front of her "I didn't want to hurt you with something that can't be helped"

"How could you have known that, that the treatment wouldn't help?"  
"Gut feeling, I guess… what a time to start having them, uh?" and she gave a little smile.

"Temperance," he sounded exasperated "how can you be so… how can you accept this? How can you not fight it? It's not right, ok!" he was working up a temper. He was pacing up and down her living room. "Damn it!" and he punched the wall closest to him once, twice, thrice… until he felt better. Until his hand hurt almost as much as his heart.

"So, what do we do now?"

"Booth, stop saying we. There is no we. And there is nothing else to be done. There is nothing else I want to do! I'm just tired now. I've had enough of trials and experimental drugs. Enough now… please!"

"There is a we. I'm here, with you. And you know that. Otherwise you wouldn't have called me." He was desperate, now. "How long?"

"A month, give or take…" He felt his heart freeze at the notion. He was not ready for the though that, in 30 days, there would be no Temperance to argue with, to have dinner with, to look at… to love…

"Look," and tried to hug her. She allowed herself to be held "You need to give me time to figure something out… a month more than that… one month at a time. What if something comes up in that short time that could be the answer? You need to try… for me, for the squints, for your brother and your dad… what will they say when they find out about this? You need to think about them. You can't just give up."

"Booth, there is just one thing that I want you to promise me: No one, do you understand? No one can know about this."

"No! Not gonna happen!"

"Booth… please. Consider it a dying wish". And then the floodgate opened. Booth was hardly aware of anything else. He sat at the dinning table. The tears just flowed. There was no sobbing. Just the tears. Temperance thought briefly that he was like a ghost town: empty of what made him what he was. There was just that silent grief. And she was sorry she had done that to him. She went to him and held him in her arms singing a soothing lullaby she remembered her mother singing.

To everybody else, Dr Brennan had taken a vacation. She had requested 30 days holiday. She had left Max, Russ and her surrogate family with a smile and a see you in a month. To them, she was just going trekking in the Kilimanjaro.

Booth took a leave of absence. No return date given.

Temperance refused to check into hospital. So Booth picked up a few belongings and moved to her apartment. He gave her no room to discuss the matter.

During those 30 days, they never discussed her illness. Booth went out everyday for fresh foods and a daily daffodil. She finished her 6th novel. They watched old films cuddled up in the sofa during the first 2 weeks and then, as she got weaker, in her bed. He had bought a baby monitor that he installed in her room, carrying around the receiver end whenever he so much as went to the kitchen. In a matter of days, he was spending the night in her bed. He could not sleep. He though that the time to sleep would come after. For now, he did not want to miss a single second.

On the 30th day, Temperance gave Booth letters for Russ, Max and each of her people at the Jeffersonian. She then asked him to take her somewhere pretty.

Booth carried her in his arms to the SUV, wrapped in a blanket despite the warm August afternoon. She weighed nearly nothing. He drove to a secluded beach, took her out of the car and sat in the sand with her in his arms, her head burrowed in his shoulder. In the summer sun's light, her hair shined impossibly.

"Booth, don't forget the letters."  
"I won't"

"You need to call Angela now. You need help, ok? Don't do this alone. They're your people too."

"Temperance…" he stopped short. He had no idea what to say, as so much had been left unsaid.

"I know", she covered his lips with her very cold hand. "I love you too Booth. My one regret is not to have told you before. Now it feels like I have left a part of my life unlived… but I'm not afraid because you're with me." He held her hand and put it over his heart.

"I love you, Temperance" He put his hand over hear heart and felt it fade away slowly, like a distant eco.

He wanted to cry but it seemed to him he was out of tears. He called Angela and told her where to find him. . Then he just waited. Temperance's words ringing unbearably true in his mind '_your God kills randomly'_ unsure of what to do with his faith.

When Angela arrived, for one single moment she allowed herself to believe that all was good with Brennan. She could see her hair shining in the setting sun and Booth's arms around her. Then she walked close and Booth said, his voice empty of all emotion:

"I'm sorry, but I don't know what to do now…" She knew, at that exact moment. She kneeled in front of him, taking his face in her hands, surprised at the vulnerability she saw in him, tears running down her cheeks.

"Let's get her out of here." Booth gave her the letter addressed to her.

"Open it now, Angela!"

She did

_Angela_

_I love you so very much. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this. _

_When he's done grieving, Booth will explain everything. I just _

_wanted to tell you one last thing that will make you proud of me:_

_Booth and I kissed a lot this last month. He moved in with me_

_and we made love. I wish I could tell you the details but I'm_

_pretty sure he would not appreciate it. Let me just say this:_

_You were right from the beginning._

_Love_

_Temperance_

_PS- Keep an eye on him, will you? He is taking this very hard._

One week later, Booth received a package containing Temperance's final novel from her publisher. It had a yellow page marker. He opened the book on the marked page- the dedication:

_To Special Agent Seeley Booth:_

_I thought you would like to know this- that you were indeed the inspiration _

_for Andy Ryan._

_Remember that God hears all prayers, even if, sometimes,_

_the answer is no._

_With Love_

_Bones_

Page 3 of 3


	3. The happy ending

Part 2- The happy ending- for the incorrigible, unremitting, chronic romantics

Part 2- The happy ending- for the incorrigible, unremitting, chronic romantics

She thought that she must have been a mess. He only called her Temperance when she was at her most vulnerable. She handed him the piece of paper. He ran his eyes through it. Uh oh!

"Are you sure they didn't make a mistake?" She glared at him.

"Absolutely positive"

"Oh my God! What do you want to do now?" He took her hand and pulled her to the couch

"He tried to hug her but was swatted away.

"I don't know, Booth!" She looked at him "I thought you would have an opinion about it. You have an opinion about everything"

"I do. But this time I am willing to defer to you!"

"Defer! Big word there, Booth. Where did you learn it?" She managed to smile.

"Oh, you know, from a glorified lab rat that I know" she punched him in the arm.

"You know this changes everything, Booth. I'm not sure you wanted that… we talked about this often enough…"

He put his hand in her belly, fully expecting to be swatted away again.

"Things changed a long time ago, Bones. I've been waiting for you to catch up with it because where you're concerned, I cannot settle for bits and pieces."  
"Booth…" She sounded embarrassed "I'm not sure I want to keep this baby…" His heart froze solid, unable to beat. His hands spasmmed into a closed fist. "I' so scared… terrified…"

"I know. We talked about you not wanting kids... I was just… I don't know… I hoped that, somewhere along the way you would… change your mind… or at least, mellow out a bit…"  
"Booth… look at we do for a living… why would I bring a child into a world like this? That is just a selfish thought- people want kids to perpetuate themselves, they want children to be their own time capsules, their elixir of eternal life. I don't need that. There is nothing in me worth perpetuating, with the added problem that I don't even know how to be a mother… I have nothing to give to a child…"

Booth was at a loss for words. He could only stare at her as if he was seeing her for the first time. He sighed.

"Temperance, people don't have children just to perpetuate themselves. They have kids because they become the better for it, because of the hope each child is, that we'll be able to make the world a better place for them. Because of the sweetness children share with you. Having a child is an act of generosity. One that teaches you to accept something with grace. Even the worst criminals can be good parents… and you… well, you have nothing to worry about…"  
"How can you say that?"

Because I _know_ you! I really _know _you" he said with intensity. She looked down at her belly, her hand coming up and setting there.

"Do you really think I could do this?

"I have no doubt in my mind"

"And in your heart"

"Either"

"Look, I know it's mean, but I want to think about this. I can't make a logical decision like this. I need…" She sighed heavily. "I took two weeks holiday. I've been sick as a dog every morning and Angela might already be sniffing something in the air, you know how she is…"  
"Yeah, I know." He smiled. "Can I see you during that time?"

"I was hoping you'd do that…"  
"Really?"  
"Yeah…"

Two weeks latter, Temperance and Booth were sitting on the beach at sun sunset. He had given her no more arguments, but had been to se her everyday. He wanted to be close to her and their baby. She held his hand in hers.

"Booth, I've made a decision…"

"Temperance, before you say anything... it's just that I've been thinking about that conversation we had… when you said you had nothing worth perpetuating, nothing to give… well, that's just not true. You are generous and caring and you have this quality I can't really define... I guess you'd call it grace, you have a grace in you… not something you find often…" He had turned to her and was busy tracing the contours of her face trying to memorize the look of her in that particular moment.

"Are you trying to memorize me, Booth?"  
"No… I already know you by heart, Bones…"

Flustered, she laid down on the warm sand, absorbing the early August sun in her skin. She raised her T Shirt exposing her tummy and caressing in gentle circles that still flatness.

"You know, in about two months, I won't be able to hide it anymore…"  
"You won't?" he asked, surprised at the hitch in his voice. His heart gradually returned to it's normal size after two weeks of feeling small and squeezed. He allowed himself to feel absolutely happy again. He put both his hands on her tummy. He leaned his face against her, feeling her warmth, trying to hear the whisper of life inside her.

She reached for her pocket and took out a small velvet box. She handed it to him sitting up to better observe the reaction in his face. He opened it and his surprise grew into shock. There were two thin gold bands nestled inside. She took out the largest and asked what she had been rehearsing for the last two days:  
"Seeley Booth, will you do me the honour of not marrying me?" His jaw dropped. "You know my opinion on marriage. I haven't changed my mind about that. But it does not mean that… what I'm trying to say is…oh sh!t…" she was nervous and could see it but decided to enjoy the show. "Well, I mean… if you still want me…" Deep breath. "I don't want you to go through the same as with Rebecca and Parker… you deserve better. You deserve to be a part of this baby's life full time…" He leaned into her and kissed her within an inch of their lives, stretched his hand to her and she slid the gold band in. He took the second ring:  
"Temperance, will you do me the honour of not marrying me?"

"Yes" And he slid the ring in her finger. A tear slid down her check. He touched it with his finger.

"Aw, Bones, that's so sweet!" But she was quick to dismiss it.

"It's just hormones, Booth, it means nothing!" He laughed his eyes warm with emotion.

"I know that Bones. Come on, let's have dinner. I'm hungry and I feel like celebrating."  
"Yeah, me too."  
"Bones?"  
"Yes, Booth."  
"Thank you for making an honest man out of me!"

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End file.
